I can remember the very first time I met Jack Bergen. Ronnie Houlden and I were flying a kite at Grand Boulevard Park when the string broke and off into the distance floated our kite. On walking home from our kite adventure we noticed a guy about our age walking toward us and he had our kite, he even took the time to roll up all the string that was left and he was heading up to the park to see if he could find the owners of it. This was Jack Bergen, the kite had landed in his front yard. This fortuitous event was the begining of a long and lasting friendship.
Later on in our friendship we started a gym in Jack's basement, the members of the gym were Jack Bergen, Bobby Caldwell, Jimmy Dickie, Dave Naylor, Bill Elphinstone and Ted Willcox. Jack's Dad was a house contractor which gave us access to all the wood and tools we needed to build our gym equipment. We ordered our weights and bars from a foundry in Vancouver called Letson and Burpee. The foundry was in walking distanced from the North Van ferry, so when the order was ready we walked onto the ferry, walked to the foundry, put the weights onto the bars, and with one of us on each end of the bar packed the weights onto the ferry and off the other side. I remember a reporter spotting us lugging the weights off the ferry and putting a cartoon of us in one of the local North Van newspapers. I remember Mr. Roy our Phys-Ed teacher coming to the gym one day and giving it his blessing. Harcourt Roy was an advocate of weight training at a time when it was frowned upon by many. I remember we could use the gym at anytime, even if Jack and his family were out there was a key left for us. We later became known as the 12th Street A.C. an affiliate with the Kings A.C. I can't remember who gave us the moniker "Bergen's Boys", somehow I think it was the Lynn Valley Boy's? "Bergen's Boys" were a close-knit group. I don't believe I could have grown up with better friends then "Bergen's Boys"
Jack my very good friend you left us a way, way, to soon. I miss you and always will Ted.
P.S. Jack was one of those truly good people. Always there for you. Always a joy to be around.
Edwin Willcox
I can remember the very first time I met Jack Bergen. Ronnie Houlden and I were flying a kite at Grand Boulevard Park when the string broke and off into the distance floated our kite. On walking home from our kite adventure we noticed a guy about our age walking toward us and he had our kite, he even took the time to roll up all the string that was left and he was heading up to the park to see if he could find the owners of it. This was Jack Bergen, the kite had landed in his front yard. This fortuitous event was the begining of a long and lasting friendship.
Later on in our friendship we started a gym in Jack's basement, the members of the gym were Jack Bergen, Bobby Caldwell, Jimmy Dickie, Dave Naylor, Bill Elphinstone and Ted Willcox. Jack's Dad was a house contractor which gave us access to all the wood and tools we needed to build our gym equipment. We ordered our weights and bars from a foundry in Vancouver called Letson and Burpee. The foundry was in walking distanced from the North Van ferry, so when the order was ready we walked onto the ferry, walked to the foundry, put the weights onto the bars, and with one of us on each end of the bar packed the weights onto the ferry and off the other side. I remember a reporter spotting us lugging the weights off the ferry and putting a cartoon of us in one of the local North Van newspapers. I remember Mr. Roy our Phys-Ed teacher coming to the gym one day and giving it his blessing. Harcourt Roy was an advocate of weight training at a time when it was frowned upon by many. I remember we could use the gym at anytime, even if Jack and his family were out there was a key left for us. We later became known as the 12th Street A.C. an affiliate with the Kings A.C. I can't remember who gave us the moniker "Bergen's Boys", somehow I think it was the Lynn Valley Boy's? "Bergen's Boys" were a close-knit group. I don't believe I could have grown up with better friends then "Bergen's Boys"
Jack my very good friend you left us a way, way, to soon. I miss you and always will Ted.
P.S. Jack was one of those truly good people. Always there for you. Always a joy to be around.